Gratitude after a weird kind of week

I KNOW that shit goes on in the world all the time. People are murdered. People go missing. Terrorism is rife. But something made feel really sad about the series of news events in the last week.

On Monday I woke to the news, that two people had been murdered on Koh Tao. This was followed by news of terror threats in Sydney, and the story of a young William Tyrell missing from playing outside his Grandmothers house. No, I did not know any of the people affected by these stories, but all these events hit close to home. Its easy to feel sad for two minutes when we hear about an overseas bombing, refugees being turned away or people starving in Africa. We feel sad but then we continue to go on with the bubble of our lives, because we are safe here… right?

This kind of stuff could not happen to me… right?

Well it can, actually.

And that is why the news this week particularly shocked me. Because I could identify personally with all the stories.

I have traveled to Koh Tao many times, know the part of the beach that those kids were at and the bar they were partying at. I thought about my own solo expedition around Asia when I was 23. They would have been having the time of their lives and this was taken from them for no reason. THEN the idea that someone was planning to behead someone, in a very public place in the city, right near where I work, made me feel ill. Isn’t Australia supposed to be a safe haven from that sort of stuff? Isn’t that why people want to come here for a new life? And the heartbreaking story of little William, playing in the yard and has not been seen since. When I look at kids in the park with their spidermen costumes or fairy outfits on, I can’t help but think of the heartbreak his parents are feeling.

Can’t. Even. Imagine.

So what to do with all this shit in the world?

Well my answer is I don’t know how to solve these problems. It is to get up and do your usual stuff. Live your life. Be the best person you can be each day because you never know what will happen next.

Tell the people close to you each day that you love them. Do something you love.

Last week I was preparing for my half marathon. On Friday I started to get a blocked ear. I felt like shit.

I ignored it.

I overdosed on hayfever pills, put my i pod in and ran my little half marathon heart out through my beautiful city that I love.

I ran thinking about those who couldn’t due to health reasons, and for those who don’t have the opportunity to run safely through their own cities.

So today, with all the darkness in the world I am trying not to get eaten up by it.

I remind myself that I am grateful for all the simple things, my family, my health, my husband, my job, my cat and being able to put one foot in front of the other and run my little heart out, (even with my bung ear).